


Weasley Magic

by Amebb42



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Evil Author Day, Family Magic, Loss of Virginity, Multi, Ritual Sex, Triad - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:34:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29478519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amebb42/pseuds/Amebb42
Summary: Fred is going to die in the middle of the battle, but George will do anything to stop it - including compromising himself as well. What will the rest of the family and their friends do to keep the twins alive?
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Bill Weasley, Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley/George Weasley
Comments: 87
Kudos: 186
Collections: Evil Author Musings





	Weasley Magic

**Author's Note:**

> So I just learned what Evil Author Day is about - apparently the chance to drop a snippet or start for a story that you might or might not write any more of. 
> 
> This is a plot bunny I've been working on off and on. I'm very curious to know if there would be any interest for it, but I have no plans for if/when I will update this next. Though if I get a big response, I will be far more likely to continue writing it. Criticism is welcome, too, since - if I go on with the story - this first teaser chapter might change a good bit. Actually, it probably would be broken up into several chapters with maybe more added. So tell me what you like or don't like and if you want more. Pretty please?
> 
> Unbetaed, so all mistakes are my own. 
> 
> The characters and world are not my own. They belong to Rowling.

The battle still raged around them, but George couldn’t bring himself to care. Percy was protecting them as they moved through the hallways. George’s entire attention was on Fred. Hermione had helped put a stasis charm on him before the trio dashed off on their quest, her worried eyes looking back over her shoulder as she warned him to get Fred to Madam Pomfrey as quickly and carefully as possible.

“Percy!” George cried as a Death Eater ran at them from the front and his brother, distracted by another behind them, did not move up in time to keep Fred from being jostled. George had to drop his brother as gently as he could manage while making good enough time to stun the man coming at them. 

“There are too many of them, George!”” Percy said, his voice on the edge of panic.

“We  _ have _ to keep going! Fred won’t make it without Pomfrey.” George was determined. There was no way he was giving up on his twin. 

“George!” the familiar voice of Lee Jordan shouted. He could have wept in relief to see him and Angelina Johnson running in his direction. “Oi! Where’s…”

Angelina’s voice collapsed to a whisper on “Fred…” when she saw him on the floor where George had to put him down before.

George tried not to panic at their reactions when they saw Fred. “He’s going to be fine!” he shouted their way, trying to sound confident. “I just need to get him to Madam Pomfrey. Percy’s overrun. Can you help?”

His friends nodded grimly, both of them letting their eyes slide away from Fred’s bruised and crumpled body. Now they were on either side of him and George was able to lift his brother back into the air and start forward again. Percy ran up to walk beside him, panting and covered in sweat. His eyes tracked back to Fred with a worried glance.

“George, are you sure…”

“Don’t you dare! Of course I’m sure. I’m his twin. I would  _ know _ . He’s going to be okay, Perce. Just help me get him there.”

The four of them surrounded Fred like an honor guard, taking out any Death Eater stupid enough to come their way. For the most part, they were actually left alone once several tried and failed. 

But then they were headed down the west staircase toward the hospital wing when something crashed through the wall behind them. George immediately changed his stance to protective, the sound of another falling wall making him scream with the fear that this one would remove Fred from his life forever. 

It wasn’t the wall that turned out to be the danger. An enormous giant was now looking through the hole it had made. 

“Go, George!” Percy shouted as he and Angelina raced toward it, wands already shooting spells.

Lee grabbed his shoulder, “Come on! We just have to get down the staircase and around the corner!”

George surged forward again, his hand on Fred’s inanimate body. He was trying to ignore the sounds above and behind them. The giant’s roars of rage, the sounds of spells firing. Percy was shouting something at Angelina. Then there was a scream that stopped George and Lee both in their tracks just as they reached the first floor.

Spinning to look, George already knew he didn’t want to see what it was. Angelina flew through the air and slammed against the wall on the other side of the staircase, her head hanging at a funny angle. Even from here, he could see a trickle of blood oozing down her chin from her mouth. 

“NO!!!” He wasn’t sure if it was he or Lee who had screamed. Percy was running down the stairs toward them, tears running down his face. 

“She killed it. But she had to get too close,” his brother sobbed. “I couldn’t… there was nothing…”

George wasn’t sure how to keep moving, but Lee was pulling him again, Fred between them. They pulled open the giant doors and were inside the relative peace of the infirmary. 

“Madam Pomfrey! Madam!” he got her attention. “Please help! Please - it’s Fred!”

The matron bustled over. “Get him on a bed.”

George gently lowered Fred to the bed and backed up just enough that Madam Pomfrey could get close. He watched her face fall when she looked him over. When she cast a diagnostic over him, nearly every symbol above his body was red. George didn’t know the exact meaning of the symbols, but he knew red was not good.

As she turned to speak to him, George could see it in her eyes. Before she got a sound out, he started crying. “No! I can’t lose him! He’s going to be okay. You can fix him!”

“Mr. Weasley,” The old matron spoke in her most consoling tone, “Your brother is in a tremendous amount of pain. I do not have the resources and there are far too many in need of my attention who can be helped. I am sorry, but we have to let Fred go.”

“NO!” George dropped to his knees. The absolute anguish of hearing that was too much to even stand. Percy was on the ground next to him within seconds, holding onto him for dear life.

Lee pushed forward. “Angelina died to get him here, Madam Pomfrey! There must be something you can do.” There were tears streaming down his cheeks.

“There is nothing…”

George’s voice was deadly calm as he cut in. “Could he be healed if things were calm? If there wasn’t a battle raging and other people needing attention? Could he?” He was on his feet again, though he didn’t remember how it had happened.

Madam Pomfrey looked ten years older than she had only moments before. “Possibly. There’s no guarantee. His body has sustained far more damage than…”

“But there would be a chance?”   
  


“It hardly matters,” she looked at him with pity. “We  _ are  _ in the middle of a battle and he is too far gone for me to help him.”

“We’re twins. Identical, bonded twins. Link us. I’ll share my life force with him.”

Everyone looked taken aback for a moment.

“George, no,” Percy cried. “We could lose you both.”

“I don’t care!” he screamed, shaking Percy away. “Please, Madam Pomfrey. He can’t die.”

“Your brother is right. You could die, too. It’s more likely, really.” Her voice was shaking.

“Do it,” George said. “Should I lay down next to him?”

“George, this may kill you,” Lee said, his tears pouring out now. 

“I’m already dead without him,” he whispered. He and Lee stared at each other for a moment before Lee nodded. 

Percy stood, his whole body shaking. “I won’t let you do this. I’m your big brother, and I won’t stand back and watch this…”

Lee grabbed Percy around the chest and began dragging him toward the door. “I love you, George. Do what you need to do,” Lee said.

“NO!” Percy was screaming. “Take me instead.”

“You’re not his twin,” George said, his voice hollow with fear and worry. Then he turned to Madam Pomfrey and gave a nod. “We should do it now so you can get back to helping everyone else.”

There was a moment when George feared she wouldn’t help. She looked at him like she’d never seen him before. Then she let out a sigh and put her hands on his shoulders, her eyes meeting his directly. “I can’t promise anything - for either of you - if I do this.”

“We just need a chance,” George said, the determination ringing in his voice.

Madam Pomfrey gave a sharp nod, swished her wand so that the little bed doubled in size, and spoke briskly. “Lay down next to him. Listen carefully, I’ll be telling your family later as well, but it is of the utmost importance that the two of you be treated as soon as possible after the battle. It won’t be possible for you to stay in this stasis very long. Your life force should sustain his, but it can only hold two of you here for so long before both of you would be drained. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Madam Pomfrey,” George said, slipping his hand into his twin’s. It was the last thing he remembered before blackness enveloped him.

************************

It was almost unbelievable that it was over. Voldemort was truly dead. Harry was finally safe, even if he had to die first to get there. 

Of course, that was only the surface of things. Their quest was over, but there was so much more to be done. The entire Wizarding World would have to be rebuilt. Hogwarts would have to be rebuilt. Before that, though, were the people. Hermione couldn’t even think yet about all the people who would need to be buried. 

Her focus right now was the Weasley family. They had lost Arthur. Molly was in a magically-induced coma while the Healers figured out the last curse that Bellatrix flung before Molly’s curse took her down. Then there were the twins. They were using George’s life force to sustain both of them in a stasis hold more powerful than any Hermione had seen before, but the Healers were going to have to pull them out of it soon or they both would die. 

Bill, as the family patriarch, was trying to hold himself together and still make the impossible choices that had to be made. “Yes, take them out of stasis,” he wearily answered Healer Jacobs, the one in charge of the twins’ care. “Just… please have everything set up to keep them both alive before you pull them out.”

Hermione could tell Healer Jacobs was irritated at being told how to do her job, but the slim woman patiently nodded anyway. “Of course, Mr. Weasley. Now, I’ll need you all to sit out in the waiting room while we work on this. We will give you an update as soon as we are able to assess their situation.”

Bill looked conflicted until Fleur stepped up to take his hand and began pushing the rest of the bunch out. Percy, Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny shuffled out of the room, all of them looking back at the pale forms of the twins. They were typically so full of life. It was terrifying to see them lying so still together. 

In the waiting area, Harry pulled Ginny into his lap where they wrapped themselves in each other. Percy dropped into a chair, head falling forward into his hands. Bill began pacing, trying to look in control, but failing. Fleur would grab his arm now and then and try to whisper things to calm him. 

Ron was standing next to Hermione in a daze it seemed, when he suddenly turned toward the hallway. “I’ll just go see Mum then,” he announced.

“Wait,” Hermione said, pulling at his hand. Charlie was in the room with their Mum. Hermione didn’t know him well, but it didn’t take much to see that he had needed to fall apart while the other siblings were elsewhere. The time it took for the healers to explain the twins’ dire situation wasn’t much. She seriously doubted he was done.

“For what?” Ron asked her, seeming irritated. “I can’t do anything about the twins. Let’s go see Mum.”

“Ron, I think Charlie needed some time,” she told him.

“We all need time, Mione. And rest. And sweet goddess some food. But right now all we have is each other. I’m going to Mum, and if Charlie is in there, maybe he needs his family, too.” Ron’s voice was firm. “You know… why don’t you stay out here with them?” He was gentle about it, but he shoved her away just a little in that moment and Hermione was ashamed to realize it hurt.

She knew they were all drowning in grief and each of them would have to cope with it in their own way. She was grateful Ron had been so mature about his statement. Still. Hours ago there had been that kiss. Did it mean something to him? She wasn’t even sure what it meant to her, but she knew that the idea of it meaning nothing hurt. The idea of him pushing her away hurt.

Merlin, she was confused. She sat down in the chair next to Harry, careful not to make a sound as Ginny had cried herself to sleep in his arms. Hermione felt relieved when he leaned his head onto her shoulder. One of her boys still wanted her around. Logic said they both did, or would, but it was all too much right now. Her exhaustion made the emotions impossible to control. She was crying softly, eyes closed, as she leaned her head onto Harry’s, when someone sat down next to her and caught her hand in theirs. 

She had expected it to be Ron, but the hand was wrong - heavily calloused, and the fingers not so long. Her eyes flickered open, the tears still streaming down, to see Charlie next to her. He wasn’t looking at her face, just staring down at their joined hands. 

“Is this okay?” he asked softly, looking up at her. She could feel him trembling slightly and see the tear stains on his cheeks as his stormy blue eyes searched her brown ones. If such a small act from a virtual stranger was what he needed, she was willing to give it. She was surprised that he hadn’t gone to Percy or Bill, but then she realized that Percy had disappeared and Bill was absorbed by Fleur. She was the only choice left for comfort. Hermione could have been offended, but she really just felt grateful that she could be there for him.

She started to ask if he was okay, but that was a stupid question. None of them were okay. Charlie didn’t really seem inclined to talk about it, but from the way he was gripping her hand, Hermione knew he was struggling. She found herself rubbing her thumb in what she hoped were calming circles on his scarred skin. 

Their hands were still joined when she woke up, who knows how long later, in Charlie’s lap, curled against his chest. She really didn’t remember how she got there. 

Unfortunately, she knew exactly what woke her. Ron was snarling at Charlie. “I said get your hands off my girlfriend.”

“And I said to shut up before you wake her,” Charlie said quietly. His voice was firm but betrayed no emotion. It was the way his hand trembled in hers and how fast his heart was beating against her ear that told Hermione he was upset. 

She stirred, pushing away from Charlie’s chest with her free hand to sit up. For a brief moment, he resisted, his arms squeezing her tighter, before dropping to merely balance her. His hand still clung to hers like a lifeline. 

“What’s going on?” She asked, deciding it was best to pretend she hadn’t heard anything. 

“What are you doing with Charlie?” Ron snapped at her. 

Before she could answer, Charlie said, “I told you, she fell asleep and I picked her up because I thought she would sleep better with me than on these awful chairs.” 

“Thank you, Charlie,” she said. “That was very thoughtful.”

“Bloody hell it was. He just wanted to get his hands on you,” Ron insisted. “And you’re my girlfriend.”

Hermione stared at one of her two best friends. “When did that happen? I don’t think I was there for it.” 

“We kissed!” Ron sputtered. 

“We did,” she replied. “And I liked it, but we haven’t talked about being boyfriend and girlfriend. You don’t get to assume like that.”

“So what - you’d rather be with Charlie?” 

Hermione finally moved off the man’s lap, standing to go toe to toe with Ron. “I would rather you stop being a prat! Of course I want to be your girlfriend, but we still have to talk about it first.”

Charlie’s hand slid out of hers and he stood beside her. “I’m sorry, Ron. I wasn’t trying anything, just wanted to make something a little better for someone. There’s nothing I can _ do _ for Mum or the twins.”

He seemed so sad that Hermione wanted to hug him, but that would only make things worse. Instead, she stepped forward into Ron, who pulled her roughly to his chest. She didn’t have long to worry about Charlie as Bill pulled him away. Looking past Ron, she could see an intense conversation before Charlie and Percy left together.

Bill was heading toward Harry and Ginny when Healer Jacobs was suddenly in their midst along with two other healers. All three looked grim. 

“William Weasley?”

Bill stepped forward. 

“We have brought Fred and George Weasley out of stasis. Fred is beyond our capabilities to help. If he had gotten to us sooner, perhaps. But we can do nothing for him now except ease the pain of passing.”

Ginny sunk to the floor, with Harry following her. Ron leaned heavily on Hermione as she burst into tears. Bill looked like he might pass out at any moment. 

“And George?” He prompted in a whisper. 

“It is possible he will live, but the odds are not good. Tying his life force to his twin through their bond has nearly sealed his fate to Fred’s. There is a slim chance that as Fred dies, we might sever their twin bond completely and there might be enough of George’s life force left for him to live.”

“He’ll die for sure if you sever their bond!” Ron shouted. Hermione tried to calm him but he was beyond that. He pushed her roughly away. “No, Hermione. I didn’t just spend years fighting for the wizarding world just to lose half my damn family now.”

Bill rounded on him, “Shut it, Ron.”

“Mr. Weasley, do we have your permission to let Fred Weasley pass? Without your consent, he may linger for days, in excruciating pain the whole time.”

Bill was so pale Hermione was sure he couldn’t remain standing a moment longer, but he let his eyes glide over Ron and Ginny, then turned to the Healer. 

“Can he be given pain potions for now? Two of our brothers aren’t here right now to say goodbye. And our Mum is in another unit. They think she’ll be out in a day or so. I think she needs to see them again before…” Bill sobbed so hard he couldn’t continue. Both Fleur and Ginny went to him. 

Healer Jacobs pursed her lips. “That can be arranged, though it would be better to just let them… him go now.”

Hermione didn’t miss that slip. The likelihood of losing them both was very high then. She choked on a sob of her own. How could the happy, boisterous twins suddenly leave this world? How would the rest of them ever find happiness again?

As soon as the healers went back into the room, Bill called to them. “Come here, all of you. We need to go to The Burrow.” 

“What? No!” Ginny yelled. “I’m not leaving the twins and Mum here.”

Bill put his hand to his temple. “I don’t want to leave them either, but we have to do some research, and we don’t have much time. I need everyone working together.”

“I am staying with Mum!” Ron declared. 

“Ronald, hush. Let him tell us about the research we need to do,” Hermione said. 

“Course you want to do research,” Ron muttered, but she chose to ignore him as Bill had started talking again. 

“The Family Books. I believe there might be something there that could save them. Charlie and Percy went to my vault to get them but we will need to look through them thoroughly.”

“What are Family Books?” Hermione asked. 

“Something you’ve no right to,” Ron said. Bill gave him a pointed look. 

“Harry and Hermione are family just as much as you and I. They’re helping unless they don’t want to.”

“By whose authority?” Ron snapped. 

Bill stood up straighter and Hermione felt his magic swirl around him. “As the eldest male heir of the House of Weasley and the House of Prewett, head of both families, I, William Weasley, declare the siblings Hermione Granger and Harry Potter to be allies of our families, entrusted with our secrets and as one with our families.” An air of magical authority clamped around them all, a collective breath of held air, then a whoosh of wind whipped through the room and all was calm again. 

Ron turned on his heel. “I’ll be in Mum’s room,” he called over his shoulder. 

Bill started to follow, but Fleur put a hand on his shoulder. “Leave ‘im. ‘E would be useless in such a mood.”

“He’s useless at research anyway,” Harry asserted. Ginny snorted and nodded. Hermione agreed as well, but didn’t say so. She was feeling far too disappointed in his behavior right now. 

And there was research to be done. She hardly had time for Ron’s tantrum. 

  
  
  


When they arrived at the Burrow, Charlie and Percy were already there. A pile of books sat on the table between them, though they were each pouring through one already. Hermione nearly giggled when she realized Charlie was wearing glasses to peruse the tomes. She had never imagined the burly dragon tamer in glasses. It made him even hotter than he normally was. 

Ginny nudged her side and whispered, “Do I have a single brother who doesn’t make you drool?”

“I’ve never had a thing for Percy.” Hermione whispered before realizing what she’d said. Ginny’s mirth lasted a few seconds before they approached the table. 

“What exactly are Family Books?” Harry asked before Hermione got the chance. 

“Oh Merlin, I forget sometimes how little you know about the Wizarding World,” Percy declared, pushing his glasses up his nose. 

Bill gave him a look and turned to Harry and Hermione. “Every pureblood family has ancient magic that they pass down - secret spells that are strongly tied to the traits of the family. Harry, you should check your vault sometime. It is possible that your Family Book was destroyed the night your parents were killed, but it is more likely it was stored in the vault.”

Hermione was turning over the possibilities of magic like that. “What magic do you believe we could find to help in these books? What are the traits of your family?”

Bill ran a hand through his hair. “Well, I don’t know, but...Weasley family magic centers around loyalty, protection, brotherhood,” Ginny cleared her throat and Bill gave her a half smile, “sibling hood. It is my hope that we can all share our magic and bring them back. Weasley men have been known to… share… to an unusual degree for family togetherness.” For some reason, his cheeks were a little red. Hermione was curious. She had never seen Bill flustered before. 

“What did they share that was so unusual?” Hermione asked, her curiosity overcoming the social necessity to let it go. 

Bill looked away from her. “A wife. It’s been done a few times, the most recent in Dad’s generation. I don’t know a lot about it.”

“Could we talk to them about it?”

“They were killed during the first war - civilian casualties - but I know Dad had to participate in the ritual when they married her because it was Weasley magic.”

“But he wasn’t married to her?” Hermione clarified. 

“Well, in a way he was. He had sworn to protect her, but his vows didn’t include anything else and he was already married to Mum, so besides a kiss that was a requirement of the ritual, he wasn’t involved. 

“Why would they do that?”

“The brotherhood of the Weasley family… sometimes more than one Weasley man will fall for the same woman. Instead of fighting about it, the family traditionally agreed to sharing instead of tearing each other apart.”

“That’s a really interesting way of looking at that problem. But how do you think it could help the twins?”

“Well, it’s a bit like what George already did, I’m hoping. I remember whispers when I was a child that my uncles did it out of loyalty to one of the brothers who was mortally wounded, to bind him to them all and to share their life force with him. Somehow it was the influx of new magic - of the new wife’s line - that sealed it and allowed them each to retain their own magic and recover their personal life force, though they were always very close after that.”

“Why are we looking through the Prewett Family Books as well?” Ginny asked. 

“Twin magic,” Bill said. “I believe it will be necessary for the woman to specifically form a bond with the twins as well as the general marriage. There is… too much damage. I think she will need to completely balance with the two of them. A triad.”

“But first we need to find the rituals and figure out how to combine them?” Hermione asked. 

“Yes.”

  
  
  


It was hours later before they found both rituals they needed. And even longer before Hermione and Bill together worked out a way to combine them, though they both still felt uncertain and wished for more time. 

Charlie, Percy, Harry, and Ginny had returned to St Mungo’s, despite the hour. It was nearly nightfall of the day after the battle and none of them had really slept yet. 

As Bill argued that it was necessary to have the twins in their spots in the circle and Hermione maintained that having them in the middle would be more appropriate, they were interrupted by a massive patronus. 

“Charlie?” Hermione guessed, then the dragon began speaking and it was obvious she was correct.

“Bill, the twins have taken a turn for the worse but they won’t tell us anything specific without you here. We’re out of time.” He was crying, she could hear it in his voice. 

Without hesitation, they ran to the floo together. When they arrived, they found the rest of the family had been joined by Lee Jordan and Katie Bell. 

Ron came over to Hermione as soon as she stepped into the room. He put his arms around her and said, “I’m sorry I was being a git earlier. I’m so angry that we’ve fought so long and so hard and now all this.”

Hermione hugged him back, “I understand.” She nuzzled into his neck and sighed. Even though things with the twins were dire, she was still happy that there was finally progress between her and Ron. It felt wrong to have even a little bit of happiness, but she was grateful. 

Fleur offered Hermione some food. It was clear she had been trying to get everyone to eat. Bill had squeezed her shoulder but otherwise brushed past to speak with the healers. 

He looked very grave when he returned. It took him a few moments to gather himself enough to speak. “We have a couple of hours at most.”

There was noise all around as the Weasleys and their allies cried. 

More quietly, Bill said, “Hermione and I have the ritual worked out, but the healers won’t let us have them. They said there might still be a chance for George, so they won’t release them. We’re going to have to break them out. Charlie, Percy. See what you can come up with.”

“What are we doing?” Ron asked. “I’ll do anything.” 

“I’m glad to hear you say that because we need everyone. Well, and a guy to stand in as a seventh.”

“Why do we need that?” Ginny asked. 

“Because you’re a girl and the ritual involves snogging the girl we marry to the Weasley family.”

“So why can’t I be the seventh?”

“Ginny, we can’t ask you to snog a girl,” Bill said in frustration. 

“Cute that you think I haven’t before,” she said confidently. “I am the seventh child of a seventh child. My Weasley family magic is stronger than anyone but yours. It would be stupid to leave me out.”

He stared at her, trying to come up with an argument for that. “Fine,” he said after a moment. “Now who would marry the family to save the twins?”

“Angelina,” Ron said. 

Lee nearly choked on a sob. Katie stood up, angry. “She can’t because she already died for Fred.”

“Well what about you then?” Ron asked without skipping a beat. He didn’t seem to realize how callous that might sound. 

“You’ve already let George kill himself by tying into Fred, now you’re trying to kill another of the girls they loved? I am done with Weasleys!” She shouted. 

Into the silence, Ron suggested, “Alicia Spinnet?”

“Unconscious, mate,” Lee said. He was crying. “I don’t know any birds crazy enough to try it. Angelina would have. She was mad for Fred. But she’s gone.”

They all stared at one another, all the frantic energy of a moment ago draining away. 

“So that’s it?” Ron asked incredulously. “We’re just going to let them die?”

“We have no choice,” Bill said, his voice shaking. 

“No,” Hermione heard herself say. She knew what had to happen. “They’re not going to die. I’m doing it.”

“What!?” Ron’s jaw dropped. “No you bloody well are not! You belong to me and I’m not sharing you with my brothers!”

It was Hermione’s turn to be incredulous. “You would rather watch the twins die? That’s disgusting, Ronald.”

“Of course I don’t want them to die. But I don’t want all my brothers putting their hands on my girlfriend either.”

Hermione’s lips thinned to a grim line. “I don’t belong to you. I always wanted to be with you, Ron, but this is more important than that. The way the magic works, I can still be with you if you can stop acting like a Neanderthal, but I’m going to be very tied to Fred and George.”

“Can we argue about this later?” Charlie asked, his voice strained.

“That’s a sensible idea,” Hermione agreed. “Do we have a plan to steal them away?”

“With some of your polyjuice potion stash and Harry’s invisibility cloak, we’ve got it all worked out,” Ginny said. 

  
  
  


The plan went off without a hitch, though Hermione felt sorry for Harry and Lee when the polyjuice wore off. They were staying at St. Mungo’s, impersonating the twins for now. The Weasleys had surrounded their two brothers, pushed close together and wrapped in the cloak, and used  _ mobilicorpus _ to bring them along to the floos. 

There was a moment of panic getting them in the floo, as the cloak fell off, but no one noticed among all the other redheads. 

“Charlie, you’re in charge of keeping the twins alive,” Bill stated. 

His brother paled, but nodded. 

“Where are you going to be?” Percy asked, startled.

“I’m taking Hermione and we’re going to prepare the stones. Percy, you’re in charge of getting everyone cleansed and ready.”

“Won’t Hermione need to be as well?” Percy asked.

Bill blushed, and his eyes met Fleur’s. She nodded. “I will take care of her preparations,” he said, his tone flat. Hermione felt her cheeks heat as she remembered what this was going to entail. While she was marrying the entire family, it was only necessary for her to consummate the union with one brother tonight. She would have chosen Ron, wouldn’t she? 

It didn’t matter. She was going to lose her virginity to the eldest, as the ritual required. Well, it didn’t require virginity, but that was the case and it would likely make the magic stronger. She hadn’t quite mentioned that to him. She wasn’t hiding it, but there hadn’t been much time since the decision was made that it would be her.

Hermione suddenly felt quite nervous. She bit her lip as she tried to decide when it would be right to tell him. 

Bill was clearly nervous as well. Under other circumstances, Hermione would have been amused to see the ever cool and collected Curse Breaker so flustered. As they drew the ward lines around the ritual space in between the Stones, she had to correct him twice. 

Finally, it was done. The lines were drawn, the offerings set up, and the space prepared for Fred and George to lay in the center. Hermione had won that argument. 

Stepping out of the circle, Hermione moved to a bower where she found the expected ritual bath prepared. She didn’t know when Bill had made the time to set it up, but he had. She was grateful, though she wished Ginny were here to help her with this. 

She took the ritual bath, using magic to help anoint the needed oils and herbs along her body. It felt blissful to be so cleansed. She felt a peace, at last, that had not been present in her life for longer than she could remember. 

Finishing up, she slid on the thin white robes, the traditional clothing of the wife-to-be. Hermione felt very exposed with nothing on beneath and knowing that all seven of the Weasleys would be able to see that. And, Merlin, feel it if they touched her. But this was what they were doing. Technically they would all have a right to her whenever they wanted, even Ginny since she was participating. 

She was grateful for the nature of the Weasley family and how deeply she could trust them. That was doubly true as she stepped into the circle and saw Bill directly across from her in nearly the same robe. His had gold embroidery, indicating his status as patriarch as opposed to her silver. 

Bill cleared his throat. “Traditionally, the eldest would take the bride in front of the others. But I thought… the ritual doesn’t require it to be that way. We just need to have sex here in the circle, and I thought it would be better to do before the others arrive.”

Hermione nodded. “Bill… I need to tell you…”

“I’m so sorry this is part of it, Hermione. I would never…”

“It’s okay. I know this is…” she was surprised to find tears in her eyes and a catch in her throat, “I know you don’t want to do this.”

Seeing her face, Bill was suddenly next to her, his arms coming around her, tucking her head under his chin. “Hush now, little love, I didn’t mean it like that. You’re a beautiful girl and the twins are lucky. I’m a married man or I would fight them for you.”

Hermione took a step back. Her emotions were all over the place. She wondered if the power of the Stones was to blame. “Thank you. But we need to invoke the Stones and get this started.”

He hesitated for a moment then nodded and raised his wand. They began chanting together, calling the spirits around them and the Weasley ancestors to observe and offer their blessings. 

Finally, they came together in the center, all focus now on one another. Bill’s long arms surrounded her again, this time pulling Hermione in for a kiss. She had thought she would tell him she was a virgin before now. Or at least before the kissing started. 

But now she felt that it was unnecessary. She could feel the magic of the Stones thrumming in her blood. They were beyond words. Bill’s kiss changed from somewhat brotherly to passionate, his tongue demanding entry to her mouth and she giving it to him. The robes they were wearing dropped to the ground within moments.

His hands roved down her body. If she had been less taken in by the magic, Hermione would have been worried about what months of starvation had done to her and how he must feel about her scrawny body. Somehow, Bill still managed to caress all the right curves.

Still kissing her, his hand moved into the space between her thighs, first running his fingers through the curls there, then sliding his hand lower, where the moisture had gathered and she was slick and ready. Hermione whimpered and put her own hands on the hard rod that had been pressing into her belly. 

Bill sucked in a harsh breath as she began to pump him. She might not have any experience, but she had read things. He stopped kissing and dropped his head back, staring up at the stars for a moment before scooping her up in his arms and laying her on the ritual stone they had prepared as an altar to put the twins on. Climbing atop it and her, he expertly lined himself up, his lips still moving on hers.

Hermione had only a moment of trepidation before he slammed into her body and she screamed as he roughly tore her. Everything stopped as she wept. She could feel his body throbbing inside her and the rest of him trembling from the exertion of maintaining control. Bill’s voice was tight and concerned, “Hermione, for the love of Merlin, why didn’t you tell me you were a virgin?” 

“I… I meant to. I tried to a couple of times. But there were so many other things that were more important. And...and then the magic didn’t think I should tell you,” Hermione scoffed at herself, “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“It does, little love. Do you have any idea what a gift you’ve given us all?”

She scrunched up her nose at him. “I guess not?”

Bill started to move very slowly. “Does this still hurt? Are you okay?”

“Much better,” she assured him, then moaned as he started moving more vigorously. 

“You, my dear, your first blood, will add power to the magic we make tonight. It will add strength to the bond we create. It will offer even greater odds of our success.” Bill was panting now between words.

“Good,” Hermione told him. “Now shut up and kiss me some more.”

Bill did. And as his pace sped up, he slid a hand between them, his fingers pressing the little nub at the top of her slit, pushing Hermione to moan and cry out. When his movements became erratic, when he was close enough that there would be no stopping, he tipped her over that edge, then followed her down.

For several long moments after, she felt Bill’s full weight pressing her into the stone. Then he rose on all fours, allowing Hermione a look at his slim, fit body before he pushed himself off the altar. 

She wasn’t sure why, but she began shaking, tears overwhelming her and sliding down her cheeks. Bill was putting his robe back on, leaving her laying behind him, trying not to sob. How could she have given her first time to someone who saw her as nothing more than a little sister? What about Ron?

Unexpectedly, a calloused thumb brushed her cheek, wiping away a tear. Charlie’s blue eyes stared into hers. “Hey, little Draga. Let me clean you. Please.”

Hermione was staring at him wide-eyed. She had no idea what he meant by that, but she felt safer just having him near. She knew this must be an effect of the magic, but it felt so good to let him touch her. She hesitantly agreed and he gave her a lop-sided smile for the briefest of moments.

Then his gentle hands brought a cloth and a bowl of water near. She could smell the herbs and oils she had used earlier in this water as well. Charlie carefully wiped her body down, from her brow to her feet, though he left the part in the middle until the end. Despite the cool night’s air, Hermione felt warmth and a feeling of contentment.

She was incredibly calm when Charlie suggested she spread her legs. “May I touch you here?” he asked softly. “To clean the blood?”

“Would it be better to leave it? For the ritual?” she asked, looking into his eyes.

“Not if we’re covering you up. And we are.”

“Then yes, clean me please, husband.” The words just slipped out of her mouth. Hermione saw Charlie shudder and his eyes grew darker.

The cloth was soothing. His giant hands were far gentler than she would have imagined. The lingering pain in her center eased away under his care. At long last, he was done and stepped back.

Percy was beside her in a moment. To her surprise, he slid his arms under her body and lifted her bridal style. He gave her a tight smile. “I’m not as strong as the rest, but I manage.”

Setting her gently on her feet, he helped her back into her robe. She realized now that all of them were wearing the white ceremonial robes, though none were quite as thin as hers. Behind her, she saw Bill and Charlie arranging the twins on the altar. Taking the bowl Charlie had used to cleanse her, they wrung out the cloth and cleaned the twins. Then both turned and wiped the others’ brow. Charlie went to Percy next and did the same. When Bill approached Ron, he surged past, “That’s gross,” Ron growled.

Instead, he stepped up to Hermione, looking angry, but his hands were gentle as he buttoned the robe around her. She started to speak, but he shushed her. This wasn’t the time or the place for the fight they would have, so Hermione let it go.

Bill approached Ginny next, brushing the cloth gently over her forehead. Ginny shivered at the contact, then turned and approached her friend. She held another bowl of water. Her words were ceremonial, though the wink she gave Hermione was not. “We, the Weasleys, share our water. We share our life.” She tipped the bowl to let Hermione drink.

“I accept this water, this life, as I am one for the whole. I share my life with the Weasleys.” She took the bowl of water and shared it along the line - Ron, Percy, Charlie, Bill. Then she realized that on the altar, George had stirred. His eyes were staring, confused, but then a dawning realization. He beckoned her to his side, where he, too, drank and said the words. She changed her words at the end. “I share my life with you.”

She nodded toward Fred and George helped her lift his head. She said her part and George said his twin’s, together they tipped the bowl to Fred’s dry lips. “I share my life with you,” Hermione said, and Fred’s eyes opened for the first time since the battle. There was a collective gasp around the circle. 

He looked immediately to George, past obvious pain and confusion, and drank when his twin nodded to the bowl. Fred didn’t have the energy to sit up, so George lay back down with him. But he remained awake. 

Hermione took a hand of each of them, while their other hands clasped back together. She felt faint, but empowered. Familiar arms slid around her waist and she realized Ron was holding her up. This wasn’t the way they had agreed to do the triad bonding, but the magic pulsing around them was guiding her, and Hermione felt that this was what they needed. 

Bill, following the magic as well, stepped up beside them, a ceremonial knife in his hand. He carefully made a small slit in each of their hands, letting blood drip from each of them. They had agreed that the only words would be hers, since they had no idea if the twins would be conscious.

Despite the feeling of being steadily drained, Hermione’s voice was clear and powerful. “The blood falls loose and lonely, the souls unbound. Two are one.” 

The twins’ hands found one another without question at a nod from Bill. 

“And now three join together.”

Hermione held out her palms and each twin matched one of her hands with their own, the blood mingling together. The feeling of being drained came to a stop. She knew she hadn’t stopped bleeding, but the hole that had existed when she opened herself to them but hadn’t yet been joined was now closed. She felt complete in a way she never had before.

“Three become one in perfect harmony,” Hermione’s voice was trembling with the intensity of the moment.

“Three become one,” George echoed.

“One together,” Fred added, though his voice was rough.

Ron let her go and backed away, retaking his spot in the circle. Bill, too, retreated. Hermione leaned forward, touching her forehead to each of theirs, again just letting the magic guide. She felt overwhelmed by the intensity of the bond she felt to them both.

Someone cleared their throat and Hermione remembered that the ceremony wasn’t done. She squeezed hands with each of the twins and stood away from them. 

Bill stepped forward now, to the center of the circle. “Hermione Granger, do you take myself, WIlliam Weasley, and each of my siblings - Charles, Percival, Frederick, George, Ronald, and Ginerva - as your wedded partners for the rest of your days?”

“I do,” she replied, her voice barely shaking. “Do you, William Weasley, accept me, Hermione Granger, as the wedded partner of the Weasley family?

“I do, Hermione. And I offer to you Duty in return,” He said those words as he took her in his arms and pressed a kiss to her lips, barely more than chaste.

She stepped away from him and moved to Charlie. It was unnecessary for the others to accept her, but each would offer her something. Charlie’s eyes held hers as he spoke, his voice almost a whisper, “I offer you Devotion and Protection,” he said. 

Beside them, Hermione heard Bill mutter, “show off,” but then her mind was swept away when Charlie kissed her. It was gentle, but intense, a reflection of the man himself. He started slow, his tongue tentatively probing until she let him in, then practically devouring her in a way that made her match him stroke for stroke. 

It wasn’t until he let out a low moan that Charlie broke away from her. He brought his forehead to hers. Hermione was surprised to realize that they were both panting. He didn’t look her in the eyes now. He almost thrust her toward Percy. 

Instead of the straight-laced man she had been expecting, Percy grinned recklessly and stated, “I offer you Passion.”

He dipped her almost to the ground before meeting her lips with his. This kiss was aggressive in ways Hermione never would have imagined. She knew her eyes were open wide, but she was simply shocked that this was coming from  _ Percy _ . He winked when he let her back up and laughed at her expression. 

She looked to Bill then. They had planned to go around the circle and come to the twins last, but since they were awake…

Bill nodded toward Fred and George. She approached Fred first. He stared at her solemnly before saying, “I offer you Humor.” His head darted forward and he kissed her on the nose. Hermione rolled her eyes. 

“I don’t think that’s…”

Fred dove at her and took advantage of her mouth being open to dance his tongue inside. He was laughing when he pulled away. Everyone else was close to tears at the sight of Fred alive and being himself. Before Hermione could decide how to react to Fred, George took both her hands and pulled her close. 

“I offer undying Gratitude, and anything you ever want I will do my best to make happen.” His words were soft, but carried through the circle. Fred, beside them, looked puzzled, but didn’t speak. 

George’s kiss was sweet and thorough. He did an excellent job of taking her breath away, but didn’t take it too far. When his lips left hers, he still hugged her tight for a few moments. “I can never thank you enough.”

She shook her head at him. What else could she have done? The twins were her family. Her heart swelled at the new way this was true. She wasn’t sure how much she had thought of them that way in the past, but her emotions were certainly intense toward them now.

Finally, she moved on to Ron. This was what she had been dreading. He had been her crush for years, the only man she thought she would end up with. Now he was among the herd of his brothers, as usual. Earlier he had been angry. That was what she expected now.

To her surprise and delight, it was not what Hermione was met with. There were tears streaming down his cheeks. Ron pulled her into a rough hug - the kind they had shared hundreds of times before. He kissed her neck lightly and laughed through his tears. “You did it - you saved them!” After another tight squeeze, he stepped back and put his hands on her shoulders, “I offer you Friendship and Loyalty.” 

His kiss was nothing like the one they had shared in the Room of Requirement. Now, there was no passion, but she sensed awe and brotherly affection. Hermione expected to feel let down by this, but she was not. The feeling sweeping through her was relief and affection for this boy who had been her friend so long.

Now Ginny was the only sibling left. Hermione was nervous about this. Ginny may have had the experience before, but  _ she _ had never kissed a girl. She wasn’t sure if she was more excited or worried about what it might feel like. Plus, Ginny was her best female friend. What if this made things weird?

She really should have known better. Ginny grabbed her by the hand and twirled her around in a little happy dance they had done together before. Hermione instantly felt herself relaxing as her friend declared, “I offer you Fun.” 

She spun Hermione into a full liplock before the older girl had time to think about it any further. This kiss was softer but more demanding than any of the boys except Percy. And it went on considerably longer than his had. The boys were too busy letting their jaws hang open to stop them. When they finally parted, Ginny grinned and said, “Well that was a proper snog. We should practice some more sometime.”

Hermione felt herself blushing as she stepped back to the center of the circle. “I accept these offers from the House of Weasley. To you all, I offer my Intellect, Compassion, and Creativity as well as Body and Soul in the bounds of this partnership. May we always be one family, together and apart.

“One family, the Weasley family,” they all said together. 

The intense feel of magic in the air around them seemed to explode, sending shivers through them all. The circle tightened until the entire family was together in the center, each person touching every other in some small way. 

Hermione felt the magic burst over them, a shower of sparks not unlike the twins’ fireworks rained around them as they all laughed and cried together. 

  
  
  


Fred raised his voice to be heard, “Well this has been fun. Anyone want to explain why we just enacted ancient magic to marry a witch to the whole family - including, I might add, our married brother AND our baby sister - and soulbonded the poor girl to Georgie and I?”

“Watch it,” Ginny said. “That’s our wife you’re talking about.”

“She’s the one getting the raw end of the deal,” Fred said. “Even if we  _ are _ pretty good-looking.”

Despite his jovial attitude, Hermione could sense Fred’s confusion and… was that fear? She started to say something, but Bill had stepped up.

“You nearly died during the battle, Fred. That you made it down to Madam Pomfrey was a miracle,” he began.

Percy spoke next, “We didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t help, but said that St. Mungo’s probably could. So George made her use the twin bond to hold you here, shared his life force to keep you from slipping beyond.”

Fred looked to his twin, eyes brimming with tears. “You idiot - we both could have died!”

“You would have,” Ron said, “without Mione.” His tone was proud and loving. Hermione couldn’t begin to say how much it meant to her that he was so supportive. Still, she blushed to be thrust into the spotlight.

Charlie spoke softly. “She and Bill figured out the ritual using both Weasley and Prewett magic - we thought she needed a triad bond with the two of you to ensure it worked.”

“But why Hermione?” Fred asked, puzzled. “No offense meant, love, but I would have expected Angelina or Alicia or Katie first.”

George groaned next to him, the memory clearly hitting him hard. Percy sank to his knees. “Fred, I’m so sorry. I tried…”

Hermione could feel his dread as he looked to George. “She died,” George whispered.

Fred stared. He didn’t speak, but his emotions were turbulent. Finally, he said, “It was to save me, wasn’t it?”

George nodded slowly. Fred looked stricken. He held back a sob, but just barely. “Katie and Alicia?” he asked.

Hermione spoke up this time. “Alicia is in the hospital as well. Katie was with us for a bit, but… she was furious that George had tied himself to you. She thought you were both going to die no matter what and that tying more people to you would just kill everyone.”

“It could have,” he stated. Fred was being so solemn, it was hard to comprehend.”Sounds like Kate’s the only sensible one of the lot of you.” He paused for a moment, but then pulled Hermione and George in for a close hug. “But thank you. All of you.”

George burrowed into Hermione’s neck. She could feel him trembling. He just muttered “thank you” over and over. 

When the twins let go of her, Hermione put her hands on her hips and said, “well, what happens now?”

“Food!” Ron shouted.

Bill clapped him on the shoulder. “I think you’re forgetting something. We left Lee and Harry in a position I’m sure they would like out of by now.”

Fred raised an eyebrow and then his brothers were tripping over themselves to tell the twins the story of how they broke them out of St. Mungo’s. As they approached the Burrow, the story was winding down. Hermione said, “We should let the healers check over everyone, too.”

“Everyone?” Ron asked, incredulous.

“We just worked some very serious magic without guidance beyond some old books. The twins were nearly dead when we did it. Yes, I think having everyone looked at would be a good idea.”

Though there was grumbling, Bill agreed with her, so that was ultimately what they did.

  
  



End file.
